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Ford Middle East announced the names of the finalists that will represent their national teams in the Ford Focus Rabaa Rally, the first ever interactive inter-GCC rally tour of its kind, kicking off on April 25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The final six teams were selected via the online and interactive recruitment hosted at Ford Middle East’s Facebook page.

Focus Rabaa [referring to a gang of friends in Khaleeji dialect] sets the ground for a fun challenge and a test for driving skills, endurance, and the use of the all-new 2012 Ford Focus technologies, as participants drive across all of the Gulf countries to complete a series of tasks and challenges.

Each team consists of three drivers who will attempt to outmanoeuvre the other teams through sheer skills in driving, road handling and mental power. Teams will be headed by their respective national captains, who are a group of celebrities from the entertainment and sports world in the GCC. The final teams, representing their respective countries, are:

Team Bahrain “Bahrain Youth Lions”

Captain: Ismaeel Abdulatif, Football Striker and Winger, Al Muharraq Club

Driver 1: Fadhel Khaled Mustafa Ghuloom Ali

Driver 2: Mahmood Habib Mohamed Guloom Baqer

Driver 3: Isa Abdulwahid Isa Hasan Ali

Team Kuwait “Tornado Racing Team”

Captain: Barakat Al Wegyan, TV presenter, Al Watan TV

Driver 1: Nasser M M A H Almutairi

Driver 2: Ali H I H Y Almulla

Driver 3: Thamer A S A Almutairi

Team Oman “Qadiroon”

Captain: Nabil Al Busaidi, Arab Adventurer

Driver 1: Azzan Abdul Amir Hameed

Driver 2: Faisal Fadhil Mahmood Al Bakri

Driver 3: Issam Abdullah Said Al-Kharusi

Team Qatar “I.C.T.”

Captain: Abdul Aziz Hasan, Vice President – Qatar Club

Driver 1: Awfa Ghasab S K Aladawi

Driver 2: Rabay Ghasab S K Aladawi

Driver 3: Ali Essa S A Al-Suwaidi

Team Saudi Arabia “KSA Bura Bura”

Captain: Khalid Khalifa, Comedian

Driver 1: Yazan Munzer A Bader

Driver 2: Ali Hussain A Al Nezir

Driver 3: Abdulrhman Mohammed A Binmohana

Team United Arab Emirates “Dubai Rayo”

Captain: Anas Bukhash, CEO and Managing Partner – Ahdaaf Sports Club

Driver 1: Ghaith Ahmad Mohd Obaid Bin Medeya Alfalasi

Driver 2: Humaid Abdulla Ali Ahmed Alnuaimi

Driver 3: Mana Saleh Mohammed Obaid Bin Medaya

The Ford Focus Rabaa, the first ever interactive inter-GCC rally tour, is an unprecedented and never-been-done-before initiative to support the launch efforts surrounding the all-new 2012 Ford Focus. The teams will be rated based on their skills and performances rather than speed as well as the level of online and offline participation and support of their country’s fans.

“We are really excited to present the six teams composed of young and energetic nationals eager to prove their mettle in driving,” said Paul Anderson, Marketing director of Ford Middle East.

“Each of them carries the honour of representing their countries in this first and one-of-a-kind challenge. While the Focus Rabaa rally is primarily a demonstration of their driving skills and mental agility, it is also a vehicle for our participants to show unity and camaraderie with their fellow Khaleejis,” Anderson added.

“As they drive across the GCC to complete their tasks and challenges, friends and supporters of each team can also contribute to their scores by taking part in online activity as pit crew,” he explained.

On April 25, the competition will start at the Reem International Circuit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and then continue through the remaining GCC countries over the course of 10 days as teams compete for the most points in seven exciting challenges. Ford will also produce an online series documenting the activities, with a new entertaining video episode produced each day of the Rally for fans to watch. Fans can follow the action on the Ford Middle East Facebook page.

The final challenge takes the teams to the iconic Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in early May. The team which successfully finishes all seven challenges and earns the most points overall will win an all-new 2012Ford Focus for each team member.

As the teams compete against each other during the rally, fans from across the region will have the chance to support their favourite team by participating in online challenges on the Ford Middle East Facebook page that will directly impact the results of the real-life rally. One lucky fan will also have the chance to win an all-new 2012 Ford Focus.

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Background information

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents.More...

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents.

Ford Middle East is also a responsible corporate citizen in the region, with the Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants, a grass-root level program that has offered nearly US$1 million in grants to over 120 Middle Eastern environmental projects since 2000.

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Since its founding in 1999, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller has played a pivotal role in the development of the Middle East public relations industry. Through its longstanding commitment to providing innovative, results-driven communications solutions, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller has emerged as the region's premier public relations consultancy, with a growing portfolio of blue-chip corporate and government clients.

Since its founding in 1999, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller has played a pivotal role in the development of the Middle East public relations industry. Through its longstanding commitment to providing innovative, results-driven communications solutions, ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller has emerged as the region's premier public relations consultancy, with a growing portfolio of blue-chip corporate and government clients.